As a wedding photographer who was once skeptical about the relevance of engagement photography (perhaps I saw one too many piggy-back photos ?), I have to say that I'm now a huge proponent of it.
To mark the beginning of spring and the dawn of the wedding season, here are my top 3 reasons why I think engagement sessions are a good idea.
- Get great photos
This one's obvious. Whether you're looking for photos for invitations, a guest book, or as a means to visually share the news via Facebook, the engagement session can be the ideal way to get photos of you as a couple looking your best.
- Get to know the photographer (and vice versa)
You can usually get an idea about a wedding photographer's personality and style from their website and from the meetings leading up to the wedding. But an engagement shoot provides an opportunity to actually see the photographer at work. If they prove to be a boor or a bore, or if you're not quite on the same page style-wise (they keep insisting on those piggy-back photos), it's definitely best to discover this prior to the wedding.
It's also true that photographing an engagement session gives the photographer a chance to get to know you--not just who you are, but how much direction you need, or what poses and angles are most flattering for you. Having this information can go a long way to making photography on the wedding day go smoothly and produce the result you're looking for.
- Learn to love the lens (or to ignore it)
I think it's fair to say that most of us will never be photographed more than we will be on our wedding day. Some of us shine when the lens is turned on us while most of us recoil slightly. If you're in the latter category (and I certainly am) an engagement session can help you get used to being in front of the camera--individually and as a couple. If by the end of the session you're not loving the presence of the camera, you'll at least have learned to be able to ignore it a little. This lets so you focus on being with your mate; and that definitely makes for better, more natural photos.
-
Check out my Wedding Photography Site.
